Bootsy’s Rubber Band – 1976 – Stretchin’ Out

This is truly an all-time classic! Every single track is a soulful funkymasterpiece

After working with James Brown for three years, William “Bootsy” Collins moved over to join George Clinton’s Parliament/Funkadelic. By 1976 it was time for Bootsy to take his space bass and go solo. He continued in the P-Funk vein, creating imaginary characters, whimsical lyrics, and, most important of all, some of the nastiest funk known to humankind. Stretchin’ Out In features some of his best-known songs, including “Stretchin’ Out (In A Rubber Band)” and “I’d Rather Be With You.”

Everybody whose every heard this album must agree, it’s one of the best records ever made, regardless of category. Not only is Bootsy’s debut solo project his best, but it’s, arguably, the best in the extensive Parliafunkadelicment Thang catalog. Each tune is a musical, comic statement. “Physical Love” is, actually, important: a song that literaly explains what so many of us have had to deal with our whole lives: “Physical love is not from above and now that he’s gone then so is love.” What a lyric, what a record!

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Bootsy’s first solo album as a leader – and a masterpiece of slow bassy funk that set the tone for countless other groups to come! Bootsy steps into the spotlight with a tremendous amount of confidence and personality on the record – emerging as the one real star that could shine brightly on its own in the P-Funk galaxy – oozing personality, sexuality, and super-funky grooves throughout! George Clinton’s helping Bootsy out on production a bit, and the rest of the P-Funk regulars are in the group as well — but the album’s clearly Bootsy’s own, and takes mainstream funk into a whole new sound — one that would really set a high bar for much of the west coast scene in years to come! Includes the massive “I’d Rather Be With You” – plus “Physical Love”, “Love Vibes”, and “Psychoticbumpschool”.

3Serious funk all around on this release, with the everlasting track, “stretchin’ out(in a rubber band)” leading the way in an all out funk jam!! this has also got to be one of my favorite album covers of all time. oh, and the breakdown on”psychoticbumpschool” is just off the chain! monster funk forever.
A little more straight forward than parliament/funkadelic and just wonderful! Some of his best stuff is on here, the title track is so funky, it will make you jump out of your skin! Everybody involved here is a master on his instrument, just check this one out and move your butt!